Iran Says It Struck Terrorists in Northern Iraq

It is unclear whether Baghdad authorised the operation, but the Iranian general responsible for it said that Tehran had warned the local authorities in advance – both about the terrorists' presence and the imminent strike against them.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have carried out artillery and drone strikes against a terrorist group stronghold based in the northern part of Iraq, in the Kurdistan region. IRGC Ground Force Commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, said a combination of suicide drones and smart artillery units successfully hit the designated targets.

The general added that the Islamic Republic had warned the Kurdistan Regional Government about the presence of terrorists in their region and gave the heads up for the locals to stay away from the terrorist stronghold right before the attack. Pakpour said the attack on Iraq's territory was necessary since the terrorists threatened Iran's security and condemned the Kurdistan region's authorities for not heeding the calls from Tehran to deal with the threat.

"We cannot tolerate the continuation of such conditions and will give the necessary response to the terrorists. The terrorist and anti-Revolution groups affiliated with the global arrogance and the foreign espionage services have been using the lands in northern Iraq for years to upset security and calm in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s border areas and harass the residents of those regions".

Mohammad Pakpour

IRGC Brigadier General

The IRGC general did not specify which group specifically his forces targeted. Among others, Tehran designates as terrorist groups separatists from the Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz and militant opposition force the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran. The Islamic Republic has also waged war on the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) in the past, whose members fought for the establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region within Iran.

In addition, Tehran designated all American troops in the Middle East as "terrorists" in 2019 following Washington's decision to add the IRGC to the list of terrorist organisations.